Old Friends and Enemies
by sg-1fanintn
Summary: Jack is ready to pop the question when his relationship with Sam is interrupted by a nefarious enemy. Story is set between the end of Season 8 and Sam's return to the SGC in early Season 9.
1. Chapter 1

_Sam & Jack have finally gotten together and are proceeding with a relationship…when an enemy interrupts their happiness. This story is set between the end of Season 8 and Sam's return to the SGC in Season 9. _

_Thanks to my beta, SqueeG-1, for getting me through this process. I've never written a story this long before…and her encouragement really helped. I'll do my best to post a couple of chapters a week, but I'm not sure how it's going to end yet, so your suggestions will be helpful! Hope you enjoy!_

**Chapter 1**

Jack O'Neill sat at his desk in the Pentagon, his frustration showing as he tapped a pencil on his note pad. He had just finished another boring meeting with the international committee, and he was beyond agitated. Since the committee had started overseeing gate activity, his job had become much more difficult. "No wonder Hammond wanted out of here," he thought before stopping himself. George Hammond had never run from a challenge in his life, and he wasn't going to start over a bunch of bureaucrats.

Jack sighed. He would have already given up this thankless job, if it hadn't been for Hammond. Hammond had entrusted him with it, and despite Jack's lack of respect for most authority, he had a huge amount of respect for George Hammond. It's just...that there were other places he would rather be. And with that thought, his mind drifted to Sam.

A grin began to spread across his face at the thought of her. He had never expected to be this happy again. He felt like a kid, and it started during the fishing trip to his cabin in Minnesota. He, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c took the trip together. The three of them wanted to give Sam a change of scenery. They thought it might help her deal with the impact of her father's death. But just a day after they arrived, Daniel and Teal'c were called back to the SGC to deal with some delicate negotiations among factions of the jaffa on Dakara. It seemed the new Jaffa Nation was having problems choosing a form of government. Yeah, Jack thought...like that situation had gotten any better. He doubted whether the Jaffa would ever get it together. But, Daniel and Teal'c were their best hope, or it seemed so at the time. Sam and Jack had remained in Minnesota, and it had given them time to have the long talk they would have had four years earlier…if it hadn't been for the regulations and the Goa'uld threat.

He remembered the shocked look on her face when he told her he was removing himself from her chain of command…and why. He could still see the tears in her eyes when he told her that he loved her, and that he was tired of denying it. And he remembered the warmth that welled up inside him when she admitted that she loved him too.

That night, they had finally given in to the feelings they had held back for so long, and it had been incredible. He was still overwhelmed by the intensity of being with her. The first experience had shocked them both. Maybe it shouldn't have. After all, they knew each other so well after eight years of working side-by-side, cheating death, saving each other's lives. Why didn't they realize how in sync they were? When he had fantasized about it, he always thought that making love with her would be great. He just didn't realize that the actual experience would surpass his imagination.

The surprising thing was, time hadn't made their lovemaking any less intense. Every time just seemed more incredible than the time before. He could no longer even imagine being with another woman. He had found his soulmate, and that was that. They hadn't done much fishing, but so what? He closed his eyes, imagining the soft warmth of her breath on his neck, remembering the joy of waking up with her in his arms. When they returned to Colorado and told Daniel and Teal'c that they had made a commitment to each other, both men were happy…but neither seemed surprised.

"What does she want with me?" he mused. He was no slouch; he kept in shape. But even at his best, he was 12 years older, and, by his estimation, half worn out. Why someone so beautiful, so smart and so much younger wanted this old soldier, he just didn't understand.

But he knew, as she did, that something bound their souls together, so he had given up on trying to understand it. Their relationship had grown slowly through years of working together, of facing challenges, of saving each other's lives and holding back the emotions they both felt.

Sam simply knew him better than anyone ever had. Even when he was married to Sara, there was an underlying degree of unease because of the secretive nature of his work. There was just always so much that had to go unanswered. But with Sam, that was not an issue. She had clearance to discuss the issues he faced at work, and besides that, she understood. She was his peer, a fellow soldier. Heck, she was closer to a man than any woman he had ever known...wait a minute, that didn't sound right! Her mind worked like a soldier's. The rest of her was all woman. He just knew that he was damn lucky to have her.

Ironically, although they were together in spirit, they were geographically separated. He was working in Washington. She was dividing her time between the SGC and Area 51, where she was overseeing alien technology development. But within a year, he hoped they would be living in the same house full-time. He had already bought an engagement ring. He planned to offer it to her on her next visit to Washington, which started tomorrow. Damn! He felt like a kid again! He was practically counting the hours until he would see her. He put the ring box in his pocket. He was carrying it with him all the time. Just knowing it was there made him feel closer to her, and filled him with anticipation.

"Phone call, General," his secretary said over the intercom. "It's the SGC."

Jack picked up the receiver. Daniel was on the other line. "Jack," he said, "Thank God you're there. I need to tell you...we're doing everything we can."

A feeling of dread came over Jack. "Daniel? Would you care to explain?"

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Samantha Carter stood back from the table in one of the Area 51 labs. The computer simulations showed she had succeeded in her task. The new weapon was more powerful than any explosive she had ever seen. It was also lightweight, easy to carry, and packed double the wallop of C4. With this task complete, she would be able to leave within an hour…maybe even catch an earlier flight to D.C.

A soft, low chuckle escaped as she thought about Jack—tall, handsome, with brooding eyes that made her quiver inside whenever he looked at her. After all these years of working side by side with him, she could read every nuance in his face. And she was still amazed that they were finally been able to be together, to act on the feelings that had built between them for so long.

She had never felt so loved…without also feeling smothered. Jack was her friend, her lover, her equal...her soulmate. Although it was his instinct to command, he didn't try to control her or their relationship. He could sense when she wanted to stand on her own, and when she needed to be comforted. It was amazing intuition for a man who hated to discuss emotions. But then, she had always known there was more to him than met the eye.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a door that opened behind her. Dr. Kim Ying, one of the researchers on her team, entered the room. "We've done it, Colonel," he beamed. "All that's left now is the field tests, and we have those scheduled for a week from Monday, when you get back from Washington."

"Then I guess we can wrap up for the day," she smiled. "We made great progress this trip, Kim. I'm anxious to see if the field trials prove what the simulations indicate."

"We'll also be ready to test the cloaking device when you get back," Ying said. "Give it to the ancients to tie it to the user's DNA. I really feel lucky to have worked with you on it, Colonel Carter. Figuring that out was genius. You should be proud of yourself."

"I didn't do it alone, Kim," Sam blushed. "We both worked to solve that puzzle."

"Thank you, Colonel, but the credit for figuring out how to key In the user's DNA goes to you."

"Well, the important thing is that it will keep anyone who steals one from our people from using it themselves," Sam smiled. "That should make the technology much safer for us to use."

Just then, Ying's beeper sounded. "It's my other project," he grinned. "Gotta go. See you when you get back!"

Sam gathered her bags together and headed outside. If she could catch the next shuttle to Vegas, she'd probably be able to get into D. C. this evening. She just needed to let Jack know…or maybe she'd surprise him instead. Hmmmm…that could be fun. As she walked over to the hangar, she heard a vehicle approaching. "Lt. Colonel Carter," someone called out. "Wait up!"

Sam stopped and turned. Two Army sergeants were in the Jeep. One hopped out as it stopped. "Ma'am," he said, saluting her.

"At ease, sergeant," Sam smiled. "What is it?"

"Ma'am," the young man continued, "the CO asked to see you before you leave today. He sent us to bring you to him."

Sam checked her watch. There was plenty of time to see General Moore before the next shuttle left. "Sure, sergeant," she smiled, as the young man hoisted her bags into the vehicle. "But let's make this quick. I have a plane to catch."

"Yes ma'am," he replied, hopping into the back of the vehicle, leaving the front passenger seat for her. Sam got in and the vehicle took off. It was then that she felt the needle in her neck, and everything went dark.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J***

"Daniel? Would you care to explain?" There was no answer. "Hello, Earth to Daniel…."

"Jack, I just figured you would have heard by now."

"Heard what?" Jack challenged, a knot rising in his throat. It was clear that something bad had happened. "You're going to have to give me a little more information."

"Jack, it's Sam," Daniel stuttered. "She's missing."

"Missing?" Jack's voice started to rise. "From the most secure military facility on the planet? Daniel!"

At that moment, Jack's secretary burst through the door. "General Moore for you on line three, Sir," she said. "He says it's urgent."

"Daniel….I've got Area 51 on the line. Later," Jack said, as he punched up line three. "Moore, you better not be calling to give me any bad news."

"Jack, I'm sorry," the man replied. "Lt. Colonel Carter is nowhere to be found. She told Dr. Ying they were finished with their work for the week. He was called back to another project, and that's the last time anyone here remembers speaking with her. But someone did see a Jeep headed away from that building. There were two  
soldiers and a blond woman in it. I sent teams out in the direction they were heading. I found two of my men's bodies at the western gate. Someone had taken their uniforms. We're doing everything we can, Jack." His tone grew softer. "I'll keep you up to date."

"Yeah, I know. Thanks, Bill." Jack slammed the phone back on the receiver. He put his elbows on the desk and ran his hands through his hair. Damn! Damn, damn, damn! This wasn't supposed to happen anymore! Why couldn't fate just leave them alone? What was going on this time? He took a deep breath and sat in silence for a few moments, weighing his options. His head told him to stay in Washington and let the people in charge handle this in Nevada. His heart told him to get there as fast as he could. He looked out the window into the courtyard of the Pentagon. Oh, to hell with protocol, he thought…no one would be surprised if he went with his gut—he always did. "Louise!" he bellowed.

Louise came to the door again. Seeing his face, she knew her boss was distressed. "Yes, sir?"

"Call Langley," he muttered. "Tell them I'm on my way, and I need a ride on that Asgard transport beam."

_Reviews welcome!!!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks to all of you who have sent reviews_ _or have put this story on alert so far. That's very reassuring (and intimidating--LOL), and I've received some really good ideas as well!_

_There's a little mild language in this chapter...but just a little._

**Chapter 2**

Sam woke feeling a little groggy…ok, a lot groggy, and her head hurt. As she opened her eyes, she was puzzled by her surroundings. She was lying on a bed in what looked like a very nice hotel room, and she was relieved to see she was fully clothed. But how had she gotten here? What had she forgotten? More important, what was the last thing she remembered? Then it came back to her. She was at Area 51, and two Army sergeants were taking her to see General Moore. She felt a pinprick in her neck…ah…the sudden realization that she had been drugged hit her. Drugged and taken…where?

She sat up, fighting off the almost overwhelming dizziness. She needed to look out the window, needed to get her bearings. But as soon as she stood, she regretted the decision. The room started to spin, her knees involuntarily buckled and she found herself sitting on the edge of the bed. Ok…checking out her surroundings could wait.

Placing a hand to her now throbbing forehead, she slowly reclined on the bed and thought of Jack. She had no idea how long it had been since she was taken from Area 51, but she was sure he knew and that he was furious, as well as worried. Damn! How had they managed to get her off the base? Security at Area 51 was as tight as at the SGC!

Opening one eye, she glanced around the room again, and noticed that it had only one window. Determined to get more information about her situation, she took a deep breath and shakily stood, stumbling and weaving toward the window. She pulled back the drapes and saw that it was still daylight. Ok…maybe the same day. But then again, she reminded herself, she had no idea how long she had been out.

Outside of her luxurious prison, she saw a terrace and a large swimming pool, surrounded by seemingly endless rolling green hills and fields. Ok…it looked like Earth, so she was probably still on terra firma. That was a positive, she supposed. She assessed a set of black bars that were fastened to the house's stone facade. Damn! They were out of her reach! She'd have to give that one some thought when her head was clearer.

She was on the second floor of what appeared to be a small hotel, or maybe an expensive home. Well, if she could get those bars to move, she could probably use the bed sheets to make a rope and shimmy down to the ground.

She glanced up at the roof. The room in which she was imprisoned was on the top floor of…..whatever this building was. Maybe she could figure out a way to get up there. If so, another section of the house might offer better, less conspicuous egress. Wait a minute! There was another door in this room. Probably a bath. She should check it out too, to see what she might use from there to make her escape.

At that moment, she heard a door opening. Sam spun dizzily toward the sound, grasping the back of a nearby chair to steady herself from the sudden movement. As the room came back into focus, she looked up to see the familiar face of her captor. "Ba'al!"

"Hello, Colonel Carter," he said, as a cunning smile spread across his face. "It is good to see you again."

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Jack stumbled slightly as he rematerialized in General Moore's office. The Asgard beam wasn't as rough as gate travel, but he hadn't yet mastered the landing, and he hated looking clumsy. He shook his head as the room came into focus. General Moore was sitting at his desk with a remote control in his hand. "Jack," he said, obviously surprised by the sudden intrusion. "I didn't expect you quite this soon."

"What do you have, Bill?" he asked as he moved to sit in a side chair. "Whatever it is, I need to know."

"I was just reviewing the security tapes from the sector where Colonel Carter's lab is located," Moore said. "It looks like she was kidnapped."

Jack bit his tongue to avoid snapping at Moore. Of course she had been kidnapped! What other explanation was there? "Let's see it, Bill."

With that, Moore pressed a button, and the video began to roll. Jack felt his stomach flip as he watched Sam come out of a building with her rolling suitcase in one hand, and a duffle slung over her other shoulder. He saw an open-top Jeep drive up, and watched as Sam turned. A young uniformed man got out of the Jeep and said something to her, then picked up her bags and loaded them into the vehicle. Jack watched as Sam climbed into the Jeep, and the driver started to drive forward. Then, Jack saw Sam's head and upper body slump forward, just before the younger man started to raise the Jeep's fabric top. The driver made a u-turn, turning away from the main complex, and the car sped off into the distance, kicking a cloud of Nevada sand up in its wake.

"We're doing everything we can, Jack," Moore said softly, as he stopped the tape. "Problem is, they've left no clues. The vehicle was one of ours, and there wasn't a single print on it, not even Colonel Carter's. The uniforms belonged to two soldiers who were on guard duty at the time. They're both dead." When he spoke again, his voice was cold. "You need to know, Jack, these people will do whatever they need to in order to achieve their goals. One of my men was found right beside the security device for the western gate. Apparently, they drug his body over there so they could use his fingerprints to get out without sounding the alarm. He couldn't have been dead more than a few minutes when they left."

"Take me there—now," Jack said solemnly.

"Jack, there's already been a complete sweep of the area. My people were thorough. There are no clues."

Steely brown eyes fixed on Moore's face, their determination leaving no doubt as to what was going to happen. "I said, I need to go there."

"Sure, Jack," Moore sighed, as he picked up the phone. "Sergeant, get me a security detail with a Jeep. General O'Neill needs to go to Colonel Carter's lab."

"And the western gate, Bill."

"And the western gate, Sergeant. Have them here in three minutes."

"Thanks," Jack said, as he stood and walked to the door. His face was expressionless, a mark of the many years he had spent in special ops. "I'll let you know what else I need, and how long I'll be here."

"Sure, Jack," Moore said as the door closed. He knew O'Neill had left the SGC because George Hammond asked him to move to Homeworld Security. But he also knew O'Neill and Colonel Carter were seeing each other, and he suspected getting out of her chain of command had made the DC post attractive. Moore had known Jack O'Neill since they attended officer training school together decades earlier. He had been shocked when he first heard the irreverent soldier he remembered was wrapping himself up in day-to-day bureaucracy. Now, he understood. A strong motivation in Jack's decision was Colonel Carter, and it was clear that O'Neill had it bad for her.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

"So, Colonel Carter," Ba'al began, as he walked across the room where she was held. "I hope you find your surroundings pleasant. With your cooperation, your visit won't be a long one."

"Visit? I don't think visitors have bars on their windows."

"For your protection," the goa'uld said, as he stopped and turned back toward her. "I wouldn't want you to attempt some foolish escape and hurt yourself in a fall. Let me assure you, Colonel, my estate is fortified and guarded, and this house sits in the middle of over 2,000 acres. There is no way out. I made sure of that. Oh, and if you're counting on your locator beacon to signal help, don't. We disabled it during your trip here."

Her heart sank at that news, but she kept her features neutral. "Speaking of 'here,' where am I?" she challenged.

"Oh, I'm sure you realize that's a question I cannot answer," he smiled coldly.

She expected that reply. "Ok then, see if you can answer this one. _Why_ have you brought me here?" she asked.

"Ah, yes. That one is simple…so you can return the favor I did for you last year, Colonel. Since the demise of the other system lords, I have been here on your little planet, considering my options for future endeavors. I have learned a lot about Earth culture during this time, and apparently, the return of a favor is considered an appropriate and gracious gesture."

"Favor?" Sam asked, shaking her head.

"Certainly, you haven't forgotten, Colonel Carter," Ba'al smiled. "On Dakara. Granted, I was only there as a hologram, but even in a non-corporeal state, I was able to give you the instructions you needed to make the Ancient machine work and defeat the replicators."

"I thought that was a joint effort to save you as well as us," she replied. "And as I remember, you left before the job was done."

"I stayed until I had to turn my attention to my ship, and without my assistance, I doubt you would have been able to position the stones correctly in time."

"And we saved your butt in the process, so I thought we were even."

He chuckled. "We will be…soon. You see, Colonel, I have decided I like this quaint little planet. I'm planning to start a whole new life here on Earth," Ba'al said, gesturing at the very American business suit he was wearing. "But I need a little leverage with…I believe the term is…stubborn competitors?"

"And that has what to do with me?" she asked.

"Sometimes, people need a little more—shall we say---'motivation,' before they're willing to close a deal," he said. "Very stubborn business people, these earthlings." He smiled. "I suppose their lack of compliance has a lot to do with the Goa'uld's decision to leave this planet alone for so long. A terrible mistake, but my arguments were ignored when the other system lords made that decision."

"Again," she pressed, "what does this have to do with me?"

"Ah, yes," he smiled, "back to you. Colonel Carter, it has come to my attention that you have perfected a personal cloaking device that's keyed to the user's DNA. I want that weapon in my arsenal."

"You're a technical genius--you don't need me for that."

"Yes, I could find the answers on my own. But, I am somewhat impatient to acquire this technology. You, Colonel, are here for expediency's sake."

"You can't expect me to reconstruct that device here! It's a highly complex piece of technology. I have no notes, software, components…"

As he opened the door to leave, he said calmly, "I think, Colonel Carter, you will be surprised at the resources we have been able to assemble for you."

The confidence with which he made the statement, and his cold, hard stare, made a chill run down her spine.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

The desert sun was beginning to dip in the sky as a young lieutenant drove Jack toward the western gate of the Area 51 complex. His search of Carter's lab had turned up nothing useful. He had to find something here! He had to find _**her! **_As he rode along the dusty road, his thoughts returned to the last night they spent together. It had been on his last visit to the Springs, about four weeks ago. He remembered lying on his side with her spooned up to his back…one of her arms around his waist, the other idly playing with his hair. It was so peaceful, so right…

Suddenly, he was jolted from his daydream as the Jeep came to a lurching stop. "Sorry, sir," the lieutenant said, casting a nervous look in the general's direction.

"No problem," Jack returned crisply. He turned his lower body to the side, making the quick jump from the vehicle. "All right, men," he said, as he addressed the driver and two other lieutenants getting out of the back. "Let's fan out in 90-degree sweeps from right here. Be thorough, but make it fast. Look for anything…and I mean _anything_…that might give us a clue, even if it's a faint tire track or a scrap of paper. There's only about an hour of sunlight left."

Jack took the southwestern quadrant, the one that contained the road on which Sam's kidnappers had probably left. He walked slowly, mentally calculating how much time he had to get a click out and back before the daylight was gone. His highly trained eyes swept to the left, then the right, looking for a scrap of something, a piece of anything that someone might have lost along the way.

When his instincts told him he was about a click out, he gauged the sky again. He had 15…maybe 20 minutes left before the sun was gone. He could barely see Moore's men from here, but he could tell they were working.

He sighed. The guys who took Sam were good, whoever they were…whoever had hired them. And they had the advantage of leaving on the always-shifting desert sand. The light wind had already obscured their tracks..if they had used the road at all. Damn! By morning, there would be no clues left! He hoped Sam's captors had taken a less obvious course out of the complex, and that one of the other men had found something. He was having no luck.

Jack had walked about three-quarters of the way back to the western gate when his emotions got the better of him. Angry at whatever fate had kicked another load of crap in his and Sam's direction, he took it out on a rock at the side of the road. He absently watched it as it flew, hitting a nearby cactus about 20 feet ahead. At the precise moment the rock hit the ground, the fading sun reflected…something shiny. Shiny! Jack ran forward, reaching his arms out before he was able to stoop to the ground. He grabbed onto the object and shook the sand from it. It was a matchbook cover, in shiny silver foil with black lettering. He examined it closely, his heart racing. There were no ragged edges, no fading. However it got here, it hadn't been here long.

Jack stood, turning the small cardboard folder over in his hand. On the front were pictures that looked like Civil War Generals Ulysses Grant and Robert E. Lee. In script below the pictures were the words, "The Generals' Place, Alexandria, Virginia," and a telephone number.

"Virginia!" Jack thought to himself. "Hell, I just came from Virginia!" He heard the approaching footsteps of the other men as he continued to stare at the matchbook. It had to be a clue! It was too fresh, too undamaged, to have been here long. It had to mean something.

"General," the young lieutenant called. "Sorry, sir, but none of us found anything."

"That's ok," O'Neill replied, tucking the precious piece of cardboard into his shirt pocket. "I think I did."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Thank you for the reviews so far. Your input is greatly appreciated!_

Teal'c walked into the Area 51 lab where Sam had conducted her work, and stopped when he noticed Daniel bent over in a chair, holding his head in his hands. "DanielJackson, is there any news of Colonel Carter?"

Daniel sat up and turned toward the door to face his friend. He sighed deeply. "No, no, Teal'c. No word yet. I was just thinking, I guess."

"Have you completed your examination of Colonel Carter's work area and records?"

"Yeah, I guess I have. And I've looked through everything here, but I just don't think I'm going to find anything useful."

"It would be against military protocols for Colonel Carter to remove any sensitive project files from the location where the work was being done," the jaffa speculated.

"Yeah," Jackson said, "And I'm sure she didn't. I just wanted…."

"You just wanted to feel useful."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"The projects on which Colonel Carter has been working recently certainly offer enough enticement for someone to want to access the knowledge she must have gained…but we cannot even be certain that is the motive."

"That's what's so frustrating!" Daniel had begun to pace the room. "We don't know why she was taken, so it's hard to know which way to go next. What about your interviews with her co-workers here? Anyone stand out as a good suspect?"

"There were no obvious signs of distress among those with whom I spoke. However, I have not yet utilized a lie detector device. I had hoped someone's reactions to my questioning would provide me with a clue as to the identity of the person who betrayed Colonel Carter."

"Well, someone here knows something. I'm sure of it. Maybe a lie detector is the way to go."

"Perhaps."

Daniel looked at his watch. "What's keeping Jack? It must be dark by now. He can't still be searching the desert. "

The two stared awkwardly at each other, each seeming at a loss for what to do next, when the phone in Sam's lab rang. Daniel quickly moved over to Sam's desk to pick it up. "Yes, Sergeant, put him through." He looked up hopefully at Teal'c. "It's Jack," he said. "Maybe they found her." He listened intently for a few moments, then looked at Teal'c, shaking his head dejectedly. "I think so…at least, I can." He turned to his friend again. "Teal'c, Jack's asking if we can stay longer. When do you have to return to Dakara?"

The large man squared his shoulders and answered solemnly. "I have no other business that is as urgent as locating Colonel Carter."

Daniel smiled nervously and turned his attention back to the phone. "We're all yours, Jack…for however long you need us…and whatever you need."

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Sam shook her head and blinked to clear her vision as the blindfold was removed from her eyes. She knew she hadn't left the house, and she suspected that she had been taken to its basement. The view from the window in her room told her she was on the third floor of the house, and the elevator ride had definitely been headed down several floors. By her estimation, she was probably underground.

As she looked around her, she immediately noticed she was in what appeared to be a very well-equipped lab. There were no windows, she thought, so her basement guess was probably correct. In fact, it appeared there was only a single door in or out of the room. She sighed. Not good. Not good at all.

Her eyes moved around the room and were suddenly riveted to an unexpected sight in the center of the table before her. No, it couldn't be! She gasped involuntarily in surprise before moving closer to get a better view of the unexpected sight. But there was no mistaking it. One of the re-engineered ancient cloaking devices was lying on a black mat in the center of the brushed aluminum lab table!

"You appear to be surprised," a voice said, and Sam jumped slightly as she turned toward the noise. Ba'al stepped out of the corner shadows, chuckling. "You see, Colonel? I told you that you would have everything you needed to fulfill my request."

She turned to him, unable to mask her surprise. "I don't know how you managed…."

"It doesn't matter," he said, cutting her off. "You will do as I instruct, and once you're successful, and _**if**_ you do not cause me undue trouble, you will leave here alive. You will code this device to my DNA, and you will also instruct me in how to code the devices."

Devices. Plural. So he planned to make more…or already had them. Sam sighed. There was no use in arguing with him right now. It would just be wasted effort. But the good thing was that she finally had a better idea of what she was going to be expected to do. With more pieces of the puzzle in place, she might be able to come up with an idea for getting out of here. Now she needed time to think, time to figure out a plan, time to devise a way to escape. She just needed to be alone. "Whatever," she muttered.

Ba'al seemed surprised by her response, and as she watched his eyes, she saw that surprise turn to suspicion. "Do not get any ideas about trying to make an escape, Colonel. As I have told you, my fortress is impenetrable."

Sam turned back to the table and picked up the device. It appeared to be genuine. She put it down, and turned to face her captor. "I can't do anything with you looking over my shoulder," she said.

"Very well, Colonel," Ba'al said, his insincere smile filling his face. "I will leave you alone. But I remind you…your movements are being watched at all times."

"I'm sure," she said sarcastically, as she turned back to the worktable. She busied herself by rearranging the items there, trying to appear as if she was occupied in thought. Finally, she heard retreating footsteps and the sound of the door closing.

What was she going to do? Sam leaned on the table, took a deep breath and braced herself, letting the table bear her weight. Now that she knew what she was up against, she would be able to make a plan. She had to think and take inventory of the resources offered to her in this lab. Maybe something here would help her in finding a way to get out of this place…wherever it was…and back to Jack.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

"I don't know who has her, but I'm fairly certain that whoever it is _**is**_ in the D. C. area," Jack told Daniel and Teal'c. They were sitting at a table in a small diner just outside of Las Vegas. Jack had refused to discuss his trip to the gate at Nellis Air Force Base while they were still there. He didn't want to discuss it in the car either. Instead, he insisted that they go somewhere else before he would disclose anything. After driving back to the city, they had picked this noisy little restaurant at random, passing several others along the way in hopes of finding a place where they weren't likely to be followed…or watched. Once they were seated and the waitress had taken their drink orders, Jack pulled the matchbook from his shirt pocket and, covering it with his hand, slid it across the table toward his friends. "I found this not far from the western gate at Area 51."

Daniel examined the matchbook for a few moments before looking up at Jack in disbelief. "You think she's _**where?"**_ Daniel asked. "Jack, don't you think it's much more likely that she's being held somewhere near here? I mean…why would someone take her clear back across the continent?"

"Look, Daniel, I don't know _**why.**_ I'm just thankful that she may still be on _**this **_planet," Jack hissed as he leaned across the table, his frustration clearly showing.

Daniel eyed his friend carefully before turning the matchbook over in his hand. He studied it carefully. "Could this have been a plant?" he asked suspiciously.

"I don't think so, Daniel. It was under a cactus. If I hadn't thrown a rock that hit it, I never would have noticed it. If it was a plant, I think it would have been left in a more obvious place."

"I concur with that reasoning, O'Neill." Teal'c took the matchbook cover from Daniel's hands to examine it himself. "It certainly had not been subjected to the desert elements for very long," he observed.

"That's it, T!" Jack replied excitedly, pointing at the matchbook. "There's not a sign of wear on it! If one of the kidnappers didn't leave it, who did? The place where I found it doesn't exactly get a lot of traffic. It's outside the main gate, but it's still inside the official borders of the base, and Nellis is patrolled and monitored constantly."

"And yet, someone managed to get in there and get out with Sam," Daniel observed.

"Look, Danny," Jack retorted, his increasing frustration barely restrained. "We don't know _**who**_ took her, why they took her or _**how**_ they got in and out. But as to the base, there's hardly ever anyone out in that area. I don't know how they breached security, but that doesn't mean we should discount this find. I realize that I could be wrong. Iit may not be a clue, but my gut tells me it _**is."**_

Daniel nodded, giving in to his friend's need to do something, anything, to find the woman he loved. "So now what?" he asked. "Off to Virginia?"

"For me, yes," Jack said. "You two are going to stay right here."

Daniel looked puzzled. "But, I thought you needed our help with the search and…."

"What I _**need**_ is a diversion," Jack cut in. "There's most likely a leak at Area 51, and someone there has probably been monitoring every single move we've made so far. Whoever this person is, he can't suspect that we're on to him. So, I'm going to turn the search over to my two trusted friends, who are going to comb Nevada, Arizona and Colorado for Sam, while I am regretfully forced to return to D. C. on urgent government business."

"And then what?" Daniel asked.

Jack cocked his head and raised his eyebrows. "Then, I'll resume my normal routine. But, to drown my worries, I'll be seeking out some liquid comfort in a little bar just across the Potomac….."

"The Generals' Place," said Daniel.

"Bingo," said Jack, a smile creeping across his face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_This chapter is being revised slightly. Thanks to my buddy, nell, who emailed me last night to let me know that the air strip at Annapolis can't accommodate the F-18, and supplied me with the location of the nearest Navy base to Washington that does have an appropriate air strip._

_Because we all love as much accuracy as possible in our little fictional world, right?_

The next morning, personnel at Area 51 were called together in a mass meeting to hear from the Head of Homeworld Security. General Jack O'Neill somberly addressed the group, his eyes showing dark circles from lack of sleep. He talked about security protocols, and told the group that despite the base's detailed operational plans and a wealth of surveillance technology, someone had managed to abduct a respected scientist right off the base. He advised the scientists, soldiers and support staff to be careful about who they discussed projects with, as well as where they went. And he urged them to avoid being alone, if at all possible, until more was known about Colonel Carter's disappearance, how it occurred and why she was abducted.

The general also stressed a warning to the group to be on the lookout for anything suspicious…even remotely so. Then, he paused for effect, before continuing. "This base, along with the SGC, are the two most secure military bases in the world. Area 51 is not breached easily, and whoever kidnapped Colonel Carter had to do a lot of planning ahead of time. That means they managed to gain enough access to be aware of how this base operates, and that they carefully observed your comings and goings. They may have done the surveillance themselves, or…they may have had help. So remember this: it is very possible that there is a traitor among us...and that traitor may be in this room at this moment. If there is anything…_**anything at all**_…that makes you the least bit suspicious, call my office in Washington and tell me or my assistant." Jack paused, his eyes searching the crowd for something, someone who wasn't meeting his gaze or who looked uncomfortable. But he saw nothing untoward.

Clearing his throat, Jack resumed his speech, reminding the workers that the entire western U. S. was being searched, and no possibility would be left unchecked. And he told them he was confident that with this massive search effort, Colonel Carter would be found. "We'll get to the bottom of this, I promise you." With that, he turned and left the podium, shaking General Moore's hand as he went.

"I'll keep my eyes open, Jack," Moore said.

"Make sure you do, Bill," O'Neill replied. "I have a strong feeling someone here knows something." With that, Jack moved toward the door and his waiting car. It was all he could do to keep from running, because the sooner he got back to Virginia, the sooner he could start searching for Sam.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Jack's flight back to Washington seemed interminable, despite the fact that he had wrangled a space on a Navy F-18 fighter jet that was taking him across the continent at mach 1.8. Being a general had its perks, but none of Earth's ships was in orbit right now, meaning the Asgard transport beam was not accessible. Normally, he wouldn't fly on non-Air Force craft. However, he thought, desperate times called for desperate measures, and this Navy jet was the fastest Earth technology he could access on short notice.

At least the flight gave him time to think. He realized there were multiple individuals or groups that could be responsible for abducting Sam, and his mind repeatedly sifted through the possibilities…weighing, sorting and ranking them by strength of motive and ability to execute the operation. It could be another government trying to find out what the U.S was working on; some conspiracy nuts who wanted to confirm what kind of work was done at Nellis…maybe even remnants of the Trust.

But one scenario, though unlikely, kept invading his mind again and again, primarily because of its connection to Virginia. The only "person" there he could think of who would be motivated and well-equipped enough to try this was…and he grimaced at the thought…Ba'al. The goa'uld had fled to Earth when the system lords were defeated. An intelligence report that had crossed Jack's desk earlier in the week indicated Ba'al had somehow managed to take over a major corporation based in Virginia, and was living there. U.S. operatives were still trying to get more information on exactly how the transaction had taken place, but one thing was clear: Ba'al was living on Earth and he was trying to pass himself off as a respectable businessman.

"No, Jack," he told himself. "That's ridiculous." It _had_ to be something else.

"Please," he thought, "let it be something else."

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Try as he might, he couldn't shake the gut instinct that told him Ba'al had something to do with Sam's disappearance. "Damn," he thought to himself, 'why was _he_ the goa'uld who managed to survive?" Of course, better Ba'al than Anubis, he supposed. At least Ba'al wouldn't be hell-bent on destroying all life in the galaxy. Instead, he'd be plotting and scheming to control it.

But removing the threat of total annihilation from the equation didn't provide Jack with any comfort. After all, he had personally spent more 'quality time' with Ba'al than he cared to recall…_**if**_ you wanted to call it that. Grimacing, he admitted to himself what he wouldn't admit to anyone else…the guy made his blood run cold. It was understandable, he told himself. While he was Ba'al's prisoner, the snake had killed him, stuck him in the sarcophagus and killed him again…and again…and again. And now, Ba'al might have Carter as his prisoner…

Jack clinched his fists, his knuckles turning white as an almost forgotten sense of dread moved through his body. If that goa'uld did to Carter what he had done to him…he'd pay! Jack would make sure of that, if it was the last thing he ever did. Overcome by his worry, his control over his emotions wavered, and a flood of memories overtook him…bad memories…painful memories of acid and daggers…and death. And the worst part was that he had been helpless to do anything to help himself. During those excruciating days he spent as Ba'al's prisoner, the goa'uld had total control over him…and Jack knew that if he had Carter…he was crafty enough to exercise the same level of control. As Jack recalled the pain he suffered because of Ba'al, his feelings of dread were replaced with a fear that rose powerfully from his gut. Once again, he was unable to intervene…that is, _**if**_ Ba'al actually did have Carter. Oh, God…not Carter…

Jack bit back the tears that threatened to spill out of his eyes and tapped his thumb nervously against the armrest as the jet finally began its descent before landing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Once they had touched down, even the taxi into the hangar seemed to take far too long. Couldn't this guy speed it up? But Jack realized that it was his own impatience, not the pilot's maneuvering, which was driving his frustration. When the jet finally came to a stop, he climbed down the ladder as quickly as he could and maintained a calm front as he thanked the pilot for a fast, smooth flight. Then, he looked around for…

"Jack!" a voice called out. "Over here!" Standing next to a standard-issue government sedan was General George Hammond. Jack took his bag from the pilot and sprinted over to where the older man waited. Hammond was the only person on the East Coast he trusted enough to bring into the loop at this point.

He slowed his pace as he reached the car. Hammond flashed him a reassuring smile and landed a resounding pat on Jack's shoulder. "Get in, son," he said, motioning to the back seat. "I'll bring you up to date on what we've learned so far."

Jack climbed in, only mildly surprised to see Major Paul Davis in the driver's seat. It made sense. Only a few people had clearance high enough to be involved in this. He felt reassured that Hammond had called on someone who had so much experience at the SGC. "Davis, good to see you again."

Davis turned to face the men in the back seat. "You too, Sir. I think we've come up with some solid leads."

Hammond shut the door and pulled a manila file folder from his briefcase. He opened it to reveal a stack of photos and reports. "Jack, we've been staking out the bar you mentioned, and last night, a couple of men came in, grousing about their boss. They were also talking about a troublesome cargo they had to transport here from Nevada, and said they didn't get paid enough for the risk they took. From what we had overheard, we felt they were worth watching. We had a van outside, and when they left, we tailed them. They drove to a large country estate a few miles outside of Washington."

Jack looked at the dark photo taken in the bar, but couldn't tell whether the two men it showed were the same ones he had seen in the surveillance tape of Sam's abduction from Nellis. They looked somewhat alike, but he couldn't be sure. The quality of this photo, as well as the tape he had viewed the day before, had been too poor for him to be certain. He was struggling to remain calm as Hammond continued speaking.

"Now here's the part that's really interesting, Jack. Once they drove onto the estate, our surveillance equipment stopped working."

"Stopped working? You mean it was jammed?" Jack asked.

Hammond sighed and nodded. "It appears so, son. I sent a crew of communications experts out there. They tried several different pieces of equipment, different frequencies, everything they could think of, and nothing worked. We were never able to regain the signal. So, all we could do at that point was watch the comings and goings from the property. We've had people quietly staked out around the perimeter ever since. No one has entered or left."

"Who owns the estate?" Jack asked.

Hammond sighed. "Well, I'm afraid that pretty much seals the deal, Jack. The estate belongs to Farrow-Marshall…the company we believe Ba'al is running."

Jack's heart sank with the knowledge that the worst scenario was practically confirmed. Now he was certain that Ba'al had Sam. But why? What did he want? Was it just revenge, or did it have something to do with the work she was doing? Jack struggled to keep his face impassive when what he really wanted to do was slam his fist into something.

As if reading his thoughts, Davis joined the conversation, handing Jack another file folder. "General, we think we have a good idea as to what Ba'al might want. Colonel Carter was working on two big projects: a new explosive, and the reverse engineering of an Ancient cloaking device that is keyed to the user's DNA. Given what we know about Ba'al…we feel fairly certain he wants one of those cloaking devices."

Jack looked up from the folder. "What about the inventory at Area 51? Is anything missing? If it is, Moore didn't say anything to me."

Davis nodded. "The theory just developed this morning, General. As soon as it did, we contacted General Moore, and he had an inventory done while you were on your way back to the East Coast." Davis paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "And it seems one of the prototype devices is unaccounted for. General Moore has brought in everyone who had access to the lab for interviews, and they're conducting them using a polygraph."

Jack nodded as he processed the information, while fighting the urge to imagine what Ba'al could be doing to Sam. He was just about to lose himself in those heinous thoughts when Hammond spoke again, drawing him back into the moment. "This is good news, son. If he needs her skills to accomplish something, he probably hasn't harmed her."

Jack nodded, still too wrapped up in his own emotions to speak. But as the moments went by, he started to feel better. Hammond was right. Sam was still missing, but now, he had a fairly good idea of where she was. She could have been taken anywhere in the universe…but less than 48 hours after her disappearance, he was fairly certain she was on that Virginia estate. She was within reach. He could deal with this. He could make a plan. He could get her back. He looked at Davis. "Take me there. I want to get a look at the place."

"We have scores of aerial surveillance photos, General," Davis interjected. "Our analysts are going over them now."

"Good…but I need to see it myself…get the lay of the land," Jack said.

Davis nodded, and without questioning, turned around to start the car. He had observed the connection between O'Neill and Carter for many years…long before they had been free to act on it. He could see the concern in O'Neill's face, and he knew the best course of action was just to get the general to wherever he wanted to go.

"What are you planning, Jack?" Hammond asked, as the sedan pulled away from the hangar.

"I don't know yet, George. But maybe I'll be able to figure something out after I've been there."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Note to readers: Sorry for the delay in posting this latest chapter. Real life got in my way for several days, and demanded my total attention. I hope you enjoy this latest part of the story. Reviews have dropped off some, so I'm concerned that I'm not doing justice to it. Any feedback you choose to leave will help me with my work going forward. Thanks!_

_Flashbacks are in italics._

Sam's mind was racing. How did Ba'al get the device? She had taken it completely apart and put it back together again, and as cathartic as she found the exercise, it had brought her no closer to an answer. Try as she might, couldn't conceive a reasonable explanation for how Ba'al had managed to remove the device from the well-guarded labs at Nellis. He couldn't have secured all of this equipment without help. She was sure of that. Of course, she thought, he also had to have inside help to have her kidnapped from the base. She leaned her elbows on the work table, and buried her face in her hands. The questions were bombarding her brain; rude, startling jolts that reminded her of objects hitting the iris on the gate at the SGC. Who had helped him? Why? Where the hell was she?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. She turned, expecting to see Ba'al's familiar, leering face again. But instead, a jaffa dressed in regular Earth clothing entered the room. He was carrying a tray of food. "My god says you require nourishment," he said. "Eat. I will be back to retrieve this tray in a half-hour."

Sam suddenly realized she _was_ hungry. She hadn't eaten much since her arrival, and she was beginning feel a little weak. Instinctively, she surveyed the tray for anything that might aid her in overpowering the guard and making an escape, but its contents offered no inspiration. A sandwich and an apple sat on a paper plate, along with a soft drink and two containers of water, all in plastic bottles. The sandwich had already been cut in half, so there wasn't even a plastic knife. Resignedly, she began eating, surprised at how good it all tasted. This wasn't just a sandwich. It was a SANDWICH, chock full of salami, ham, mozzarella cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and peppers. It was warm and filling, and she ate it gratefully. It seemed like no time at all until the food was gone, and the guard returned for the tray.

"Did you fix all this?" she asked. "I didn't know jaffa could be such good cooks." You never know, she thought. He has probably been on Earth for awhile. Maybe I can get him to talk to me. Maybe I can get him to open up to me, to see me as a person. Maybe I can convince him that his "god" is just a parasite inhabiting someone else's body. She was digging for any information that would help her get out.

The jaffa's expression showed no warmth, and he did not respond to Sam's attempt at making conversation. "My master employs a cook," he said. "She is quite skilled." He picked up the tray and turned to leave the room. The door opened; then solidly closed again.

Sam sighed, disappointed—but not surprised—that the jaffa had failed to respond to her attempts at conversation. Still, she had gained something from the exchange. "So, there's a woman in the house," she thought. She had learned something. She tucked the information away for future reference.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Neither the President nor the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs had been happy when Jack informed them he was going to search for Carter. Jack had called both personally, but of course, neither was available. However, he got a return call directly from President Hayes a short time later.

_//" Jack…Henry Hayes here," the President drawled. "I received a troubling message from you. Would you like to tell me a little more about this?"_

"_Mr. President, this is something I have to do myself."_

"_You've been out of the field for over a year now, Jack. Let us send in a team from the SGC and a specialized rescue unit. You can hand pick the members. Let them take care of it."_

"_Respectfully, sir, I can't do that."_

"_Jack…what makes you think you're the only person who can complete this mission successfully?"_

_Despite his disdain for most authority, Jack respected Hayes; he really did. But he felt himself becoming impatient. The answer was simple. "Because I know this enemy better than anyone else, sir."_

_Hayes knew the meaning behind those words, and had no doubt O'Neill was correct. "Jack, if it __**is**__ Ba'al…are you sure your need for revenge and your feelings concerning this particular captive won't get in the way of successfully completing the mission?"_

_The answer he received was succinct, and offered no openings Hayes could use to begin negotiating the issue. "I'm sure."_

"_Jack…"_

_Jack was tired of the conversation, and even if it __**was**__ the freakin' President of the United States, he had other things to do. His heart was racing, and he felt anger beginning to rise inside him. He kept his voice calm, but he cut Hayes off. "Sir… if I didn't feel I needed to do this myself, I wouldn't be doing it myself. But with all due respect, my presence on this mission is not up for debate. If that isn't acceptable, you'll have my resignation as soon as we have recovered Colonel Carter."_

_The President sighed. He had come to understand O'Neill over the past few years. The man was irritating, unconventional and outspoken, but he knew his profession. And Hayes felt he and O'Neill shared a strong sense of ethics, as well as a mutual dislike for former Vice-President Kinsey. In fact, O'Neill had seen through Kinsey long before he had, and that still troubled Hayes. The President had long since accepted that O'Neill would always be brutally honest with him. That's why he had approved Hammond's recommendation to make this non-diplomat the head of Homeworld Security. "Of course, you realize that I could just order you to stand down."_

_The passion in O'Neill's reply told Hayes he had lost the battle before the discussion had even started. "Yes, sir, I do. But I think you and I both know that the safety of a national treasure is at stake here. I may have been flying a desk for awhile now, but I'm the best chance we have at getting Carter back, and if you order me to stand down, I'll resign my commission and take care of this on my own."_

_Jack steeled himself for the stand down order he thought he would hear next, but was surprised when Hayes chuckled instead. "Jack, I believe every word you say. Go. Do what you need to do. Whatever resources you need are yours. But we're going to talk about this later."_

"_Whatever you say, sir." Jack replied, his heart beat coming back under control. _

"_Are you ever going to marry that woman, Jack?"_

_Jack paused before answering, considering the best response. "That's the plan, sir. But first, I have to find her."_

"_And you will, General," the President replied. "I know you will. Good luck, Jack."_

"_Thank you, sir."// _

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Jack had not left the area around estate for two days. Perched on a hill above Ba'al's mansion, he kept watch, looking for some way to get in to the house where he was certain Sam was being held. No one came in or out except twice a day. His lifeline was Davis, who provided Jack with supplies and sat night watch, and brought reports from the aerial surveillance and other intel they were gathering.

A long, black limo with dark windows left the estate each morning around 6:30. Davis said his sources had confirmed that the same limo pulled into Farrow-Marshall's corporate headquarters parking lot around 7, where Ba'al got out and went inside. The driver then went to a modest suburban Washington neighborhood, where he stopped at a small house and picked up an older, petite Asian woman. The woman was then transported to a market, where she shopped for 30 – 40 minutes, under the watch of the driver, a large man who always wore a hat. "Obviously a jaffa," Jack thought, visualizing Teal'c in his Earth persona as their pal, Murray. The car arrived back at the estate no later than 8:30 each morning, bearing the woman and several bags of groceries that one of Ba'al's men carried into the house.

Another limo brought Ba'al back to the mansion around 6:30 and left around 8pm, to take the woman…Jack assumed she was the cook or housekeeper…home. After almost 48 hours of reconnaissance, it was clear to him that the best way into that estate was in the trunk of one of those cars.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Sam continued her routine for the next couple of days. She could have put the device back together in a half-day…but she was fairly certain that Ba'al would not keep his promise to let her go. She was also concerned that the Ancient device might not accept DNA containing Goa'uld markers. So she was stalling, hoping to find a way to fool him, or to spot a vulnerability in the routine that she could exploit. "There has to be some way out of here!" she told herself. "Or, maybe if I stall long enough, a team will come for me." She was sure they had been looking for her since the afternoon she disappeared. The security tapes must have caught her kidnapping, and the thugs who took her could have hurt or killed someone at the base.

So far though, she had come up with nothing. Every morning, a guard came to her room, blindfolded her and led her to the elevator that took her down to the lab. Her breakfast was waiting when she arrived. She worked all morning, seeing only the guard who came to get the breakfast tray and bring her lunch. At the end of the day, Ba'al came by to exchange a few surly words with her, and question her lack of progress. So far, she had bluffed her way through, coming up with excuse after excuse as to why the device was not yet operational. Then, he would leave in a huff, telling her she would achieve the results he wanted…or her time here would get much less pleasant. She had refrained from telling him she hadn't found things all that pleasant so far.

At the end of her fourth day at the estate, Ba'al entered, clearly agitated. "Colonel Carter, I want a report on the progress you've made. You must have the device almost ready to test."

"Yeah, that's the thing," Sam began. "There's a problem with the motherboard. Something isn't connecting correctly, and it's so small, it's hard to see, even with these magnifying goggles. Unless I can isolate the component that isn't…."

He walked defiantly around the table and roughly grabbed her arm. "I'm tired of excuses," he said, his eyes flashing the familiar, golden light. "You will give me what I want, and you will do it soon…or…"

"Or what?" she responded defiantly as she tried to contain her anger at being man-handled. "Look, if you're not satisfied with the job I'm doing, do it yourself. You say you're a god. It should be a cinch for you." She pulled her arm out of his grasp. His cold, steely stare seemed to go directly through her.

"You can complete the work, and you will do as you are told," he said, his voice low, but the threat in it unmistakable. He walked over to a jaffa who had accompanied him into the room and grabbed the staff weapon from the servant. Turning back to Sam, he spun the weapon in his hands, pointing it at her.

Instinctively, Sam backed up a step, her eyes gauging his intent. "Look, you have me here. I'm your prisoner. I'm working on it. I'll get it done, but it will take time…"

"You are stalling, Colonel. I can tell. Obviously, the loss of your freedom isn't sufficient motivation. So, I'm giving you something else to consider." Turning to the guard with him, he said, "Jaffa, kree! Blindfold her and follow me. We'll give Colonel Carter a reason to cooperate."

Sam suddenly felt nervous. Something was up, and she wasn't sure what it was. She stood silently as the guard approached her and lowered the familiar blindfold over her eyes. By now, she was used to the routine. But this time, he also bound her hands behind her back before grabbing her arm and leading her out of the room.

Right turn, 20 paces…left turn, 10 paces…left turn, 10 more paces. They were on the back side of the house now—Sam was sure of it. When the guard stopped, he turned her to face another direction, then stepped back.

Sam felt someone step into her personal space. The person took a deep breath, then spoke softly, his voice mimicking the whispered hiss of a snake. "I have been as fair and as patient as I could be, Colonel Carter. I am a god, and I am used to having my orders followed, _**quickly**_ _**and precisely."**_ He leaned in close to her ear as he said the last words, emphasizing them with such intensity that she jumped slightly. "But it is clear to me that you are not motivated to return the favor I provided you that day on Dakara," Ba'al said. "You are not cooperating. Why? Are you waiting for a rescue team to come for you? _**It is not going to happen.**_ I told you—my estate is solidly and heavily fortified. Don't you believe me?"

"For the last time, I'm not stalling…" she began, but he interrupted her.

"No! No more lies! If you don't believe me, perhaps you will believe your own eyes. Jaffa—remove Colonel Carter's blindfold, and let her see what has happened to her rescue party."

Sam felt a rush of fear run through her at his words, but she didn't have to wait long to find out what Ba'al meant. When the blindfold was removed, she was gazing through a window into a small room. Although it was dimly lit, she could see all she needed to see. A metal bed sat in the center of the room. On it, hands and feet tied to the headboard and footboard, lay an unconscious man…Jack.

_Please let me know what you think!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_**Author's Note:**__ My apologies, faithful readers. It has been far too long since my last update. Real life is again the culprit. This is a very busy time of year where I work, and the last couple of weeks have been extremely busy. But it's important, because it pays for the cable, the DVDs and the broadband, so I have access to Gateworld and fic sites! _

_Hope you enjoy this chapter._

Sam stood in shock as she looked down at Jack's unconscious form, her eyes fixed on the sight in front of her. She was overcome with an overwhelming feeling that she had been kicked in the gut. Her breath was shallow, her knees were trembling and she could feel a fine, cold sweat breaking out across her body. Jack!

She assessed the evidence in front of her. He was wearing his favorite sneakers, jeans and a Minnesota Vikings t-shirt he had bought on their first trip together to the cabin a couple of months before. She had no doubt it was him. But she knew she had to bluff. She had to convince Ba'al that this development hadn't upset her. Taking a deep breath, she coerced her features into a neutral expression, and turned to face her captor. "This makes no sense at all. Why have you brought General O'Neill here? He can't help you rebuild the device."

The goa'uld's eyes glowed, and an evil smile crept across his face. "Do I have your attention now, Colonel Carter?"

"Yeah, I'm trying to figure out what you hope to accomplish. Because if you wanted someone to help me work on this project, you should have kidnapped my lab assistant, not General O'Neill."

"But would you be as concerned for your lab assistant's well-being, Colonel, as you are for the man who shares your bed?"

Sam tried to keep a poker face, but she could feel the blush creeping into her cheeks and knew she was failing. Damn! She had hoped Ba'al didn't know about them. She kept her tone even as she replied. "General O'Neill was my boss for eight years, but the last time I checked, he had moved to Washington and I was stationed in Nevada. Pretty long distance for what you're suggesting."

Ba'al cocked his head, his evil smile never fading. He chuckled and shook his head, as he walked behind her, coming around to her other side. "Don't insult my intelligence, Colonel. Your little charade is unnecessary. I've had the members of SG-1 under surveillance since I arrived on this backwards little world of yours. I know where each of you has been 24 hours a day. So don't bother denying what you and O'Neill are to each other. I know the facts."

Sam's instincts told her he was telling the truth. She turned to look at him, not willing to confirm he was right. "I still don't understand why he's here. He can't help me complete the device for you."

"He is here," Ba'al snarled, "to provide you with sufficient motivation to complete the task I have given you." He was only inches from her face now, staring her straight in the eye. Sam opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get the words out, he continued in a low, threatening voice. "And before you ask another inane question, let me remind you of the time O'Neill and I spent together some years ago. If you do what I ask, I will set you both free. If you do not comply, then O'Neill and I will begin our regular sessions again, and this time…I won't be as kind."

Sam felt her stomach churning, and she clenched her fists, forcing her hands into her pockets to restrain herself from throwing a punch at Ba'al. Jack had never talked much about his time as the goa'uld's captive, but she had read his report. She knew Ba'al had tortured and killed Jack repeatedly, reviving him in a sarcophagus each time. And she knew Ba'al was fully capable of doing the same thing again…or worse. She couldn't…_**she wouldn't**_…let Ba'al subject Jack to that again. Feeling her immediate options slipping away, she shook her head and decided to try to diffuse the situation. "All right. I'm working to finish as quickly as possible…but you don't touch him!"

"He will continue as he is until the task is complete," Ba'al said smugly, "as long as you work quickly."

Sam gazed again at Jack's unconscious form, then nodded in agreement. "Take me back to my lab," she said, returning Ba'al's stare.

Smiling and chuckling, Ba'al stepped back and motioned to the guard, who blindfolded Sam again, roughly grabbed her arm and guided her away from where Ba'al stood. The Goa'uld watched as his captive was lead away. Then, crossing his arms across his chest, he gave a self-satisfied shake of his head before turning and walking away from the small room where he had just moved a step closer to achieving his goal.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Jack felt he was as ready as he ever would be. The plan was in place, and it was almost time to put it into play. Waiting in the alley near the market where Ba'al's cook shopped each day, he checked his gear. Glock, silencer, extra ammo, knife, a little C4, flashlight, flare. Now, if the diversion went as planned, he could slip into the back of the car without being noticed. They had all met at the staging point a few minutes earlier, and every person was ready to play his or her assigned role.

He waited and watched as the blue sports car pulled into the parking lot. The female SF inside, Captain Karen Barnes, was dressed in civvies, including high heels, a low cut top and a short skirt. The plan was for her to back into the car—then charm the driver into a nearby coffee shop—after picking his pocket and tossing the keys to Jack. Davis had brought her into the operation, and he told Jack that Barnes knew her stuff. Jack hoped Davis was right. But the spunky young woman reminded Jack of another Captain he had met over eight years ago, so he had high hopes for her abilities.

They had timed the diversion to occur about halfway through the cook's shopping trip. Timing was key to the operation. They didn't want the woman to return to the car just as Jack was hiding. They also didn't want Jack stuck in the trunk for too long. Luckily, the day was cool and crisp, the first hint of fall. Jack thought to himself that had she not been kidnapped, he and Sam would be at Mt. Vernon that day, one of the "normal" things they were trying to fit into their time together.

Smash! The sound jerked Jack back to the present. He watched as Ba'al's driver, cap pulled down to hide the mark of servitude on his forehead, got out of the car to confront a shapely redhead who appeared to be on the brink of tears. He saw the man put his keys in his right coat pocket, and he chuckled as the jaffa's anger dissipated when Barnes put her hand on his arm and apologized for the trouble. He listened as she tearfully told the driver it was her fault, and she'd take care of everything. They didn't have to call the police, did they? Her brother owned a body shop, and could probably do the repair that afternoon, for free. She then linked her left arm through his right one and offered to buy him a cup of coffee while she called her brother and he drove over to survey the damage. Jack saw the driver glance at his watch, then into the market, before agreeing to be led away.

Jack stepped back behind a tall dumpster as Barnes and the driver passed by. "Ow!" she exclaimed, then uttered a small curse. "Honey," she said to the driver, "this just isn't my lucky day, 'cept for meeting a nice guy like you, that is. I broke the heel on this shoe. And look, there's only two seats left at the counter. Why don't you scoot on in there and get them for us? I've got another pair of shoes in the car. I'll get them and be right there."

The big man ambled away, seeming to suspect nothing. Barnes quickly turned to the alley, tossed the keys to Jack with a smile and loped back to her car, before joining the driver in the café.

Jack waited until Barnes returned to the counter before approaching the vehicle. Her job was almost done. She just had to keep him distracted long enough for Jack to slip in the trunk. He could have picked the lock, but they were concerned that might draw too much attention. As they were planning the distraction, Davis had asked, "So how are you going to get the driver's keys back to him?"

Captain Barnes had replied, "Easy. My 'brother', Captain Lyons, will check the limo's damage and get the keys back from the General before coming into the coffee shop. Once he's there, he'll slip the keys back in the driver's pocket." She looked at Davis' doubting face. "Don't worry, sirs," she smiled. "Captain Lyons and I have done this before." Lyons had just smiled and nodded in agreement.

The timing couldn't have been better. It was too early for many shoppers to be out. The store clerks were chatting and sipping coffee and the driver had parked in an end spot a good distance away from the door. Jack marveled that the jaffa had gone along with their scheme so easily, but he supposed the driver didn't want to tell Ba'al that his car had been damaged. As Jack settled into the trunk of the car, he keyed his radio. "All right, Lyons, time to move in. Going silent from here."

"Yes, sir," came the reply. Jack turned his radio off and waited. It was less than five minutes before he heard the rumble of a truck engine nearby. It was followed by footsteps. Then a voice said, "All right, General. Just slip those keys out to me." Jack let the trunk lid up slightly. He had placed putty in the latch to keep it from locking into place, and was using a rope to hold the lid down.

As he let the door up slightly, he saw Lyons' grinning face. "It's going smoothly, sir. But I'm going to have to tell that guy not to use the trunk today. If he does, he might damage this piece of chrome here, and I don't have one of those in stock." He winked. "Don't worry, General, you're as good as there."

"The keys go in his right pocket," Jack said.

"Thank you, sir, but I was watching too." Lyons grinned and quickly pocketed the keys, as Jack pulled the lid closed. He waited again, and in a few minutes, he heard voices approaching.

Lyons was playing the part to perfection. "Now, man, your boss might prefer to choose the body shop himself. I don't want to get you in trouble or nothin', but if you want, I can have you just like new before the end of the day."

"I would prefer that my ma..my employer…was not aware of the damage," the jaffa replied.

"I hear ya!" Lyons exclaimed, giving the driver a hearty slap on the back. "What the boss man don't know won't hurt him, right? And I know we appreciate you lettin' us handle this privately too. Poor little Sissy," he said, shaking his head and sending an affectionate look toward Barnes. "She just can't seem to learn to back into a parking space, and she's had enough insurance claims already." Barnes giggled before Lyons continued. "I'm not too busy today, man. You just wanna follow me back to the shop now?"

"That would be impossible," the driver replied. "I am waiting for my employer's cook to do the daily shopping. Once I have taken her to his house, I can return."

"That'll work," Lyons said. "Here, let me give you my card. It's got directions to the shop from I-95. I'm just south of town. And my number's on there if ya get lost. How long you think you'll be, bud? About a hour? Two?"

"I will come as quickly as possible," the guard replied.

"All righty, then," Lyons replied, "I'll be lookin' for ya." Jack heard footsteps walking away. Then they stopped. "Hey, buddy," Lyons called to the driver, "You ain't plannin' on usin' that trunk right now, were ya?"

"I usually put the groceries in there, yes."

"Well, today, can ya just stack 'em in the backseat?" Lyons called, his footsteps coming back to the car. "Look right here." There was a tap on the trunk. "See this piece of chrome around this taillight? It goes clear across the trunk. I can tell you, that right there's a real delicate piece of trim. Expensive too. If you open and close this trunk before we fix the rest of the damage, it won't have any support. Might break. And I don't have one of those in stock…so if you're tryin' to keep the boss from finding out…"

"I understand," the driver replied. "I will do as you say."

"I'll see ya in a bit, man," Lyons called, as he walked away. Turning toward Barnes, he feigned a brotherly admonishment. "And Sissy, you be a little more careful, ya hear?"

The tow truck started up. Jack listened as Captain Barnes continued making small talk with the driver. He rolled his eyes and suppressed a chuckle as he heard the young woman ask the driver for a date! When he agreed, she gave him her phone number. Yeah, Jack thought, like _**that**_ was gonna happen. Then, she left. One more step in the plan was complete, and Barnes and Lyons had pulled off their parts perfectly.

A few minutes later, the cook came out of the market. Jack listened as the driver told her there was something in the trunk, and he would put the groceries in the back seat today. If he only knew, Jack thought!

They left the market, and, if they were following their usual pattern, Jack knew he would soon be at Ba'al's estate. Before long, the car came to a stop, and Jack heard the big metal gates to the estate begin to open. He was almost in! Now, if the other diversion worked. But it would, he reassured himself. It was much simpler than the first.

Jack waited until he heard the guard and the cook go into the house before carefully peaking out of the trunk. No one was in his line of sight. He checked his watch. He was to give the team five minutes to set up the second diversion. He waited until the time had passed, then slowly lifted the trunk and rolled to the ground as quickly as he could. If everything had gone according to plan, all of Ba'al's goons should be diverting their attention to the garage behind the main house, where a small fire was burning. Jack's team had shot in an arrow wrapped in paper and laced with accelerants into the building, in order to start a fire.

Listening carefully, he heard voices at the back of the house, and doors slamming. With any luck, one of those doors would be unlocked. If not, he had his picks and a little C4.

Jack crept up to the shrubs and made his way behind them…looking around for any surveillance cameras. He didn't see any, but that didn't mean there were none around. He hadn't expected them to be obvious. He took a deep breath before beginning to creep behind the bushes toward the side of the house. He was so close, but still so far from his goal.

_**Author's Note:**__ Yes, as some of you have surmised, the Jack Ba'al showed Sam is a clone. Remember, this story is set between seasons 8 and 9, before we learned that Ba'al had cloning technology. In my mind, this clone of Jack is an early experiment, and doesn't possess any intellect. It's just a breathing form on a bed. And since Ba'al has had everyone under observance, he has stolen some of Jack's clothing or purchased duplicates in order to fool Sam and manipulate her to do as he demands._

_We all know what a brilliant schemer Ba'al is, right?_

_And…I had to make revisions to the last part of this chapter to correct a mistake I had made. Previously, I told you that traditional communications technology had been jammed on Ba'al's property, but I had Jack using his two-way radio. That's inconsistent, so I've fixed it._

_Sigh…I should work in continuity._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_Sorry this chapter took so long to write. RL was a factor, but I just had a bit of a problem getting this one to come together. Hope you enjoy it, and that the wait was worth it. Please read and review._

Jack easily made his way around to the side of the house facing the hill, where he found the first evidence that luck was on his side. A basement door had been left partially open in the staff's hurry to reach the fire. He checked again for cameras before coming out from behind the bushes, but he saw none.

He stealthily entered the basement, and gave his eyes a moment to adjust to the change in lighting. As he waited in the darkness, he listened for any clues to Sam's whereabouts or any movements nearby. But there was only silence. After checking again for cameras, he assessed the layout and determined that the hallway wrapped around a center room or rooms. He decided to walk to the right.

Jack had just turned the first corner when he came to a door. Trying it, he discovered a small, musty-smelling storage room. He was about to close the door again when he heard another sound that he recognized as an elevator. He stepped into the storage room to wait for the arrival of that car, and left the door cracked slightly so he could see the doors as they opened. The first thing he saw was Carter—_Carter!_ Her hands were bound, she was blindfolded and she was being led by a large man Jack figured was one of Ba'al's henchmen. The sight of her caused Jack's adrenalin to kick in, and his heart began beating faster. They were apparently the only three people on this floor. The odds of freeing her probably wouldn't get any better than they were at this moment.

As Sam and the man disappeared around the next corner, Jack eased the closet door open and slipped into the hallway. Pulling his gun from his pocket, he put the silencer on and carefully tiptoed down the corridor. When he peered around the wall, he saw the man unlocking a door as Carter stood by. Jack had a clear shot at the back of the man's head, and he took it. The man's keys rattled as they dropped to the floor, along with his body. It was a quick, clean kill.

"Sam," Jack called out softly as he approached, "it's me." Grabbing a small knife from his pocket, he quickly snipped the plastic cord holding her hands, then pulled the blindfold from her eyes. She seemed to be all right, but he had to know now. "Did he hurt you?"

"No."

He breathed a sigh of relief, and was trying to resist the impulse to pull her into an embrace when she spoke again. "Jack—how did you escape? Thank goodness you're ok! Where did you get those clothes?"

Jack was baffled. "Carter, I don't understand what you're babbling about, and I doubt that my wardrobe choice is very important right now, but we can certainly discuss it later."

"But, when I saw you last, you were unconscious and…"

"Sam, I don't know what you're talking about, but frankly, I think we should just get the hell out of here and sort it out later." He didn't understand the source of her confusion, but at the moment, he didn't care. He grabbed her hand to lead her toward the door, but met with unexpected resistance. "Come on, Carter!"

"Wait! The device!" she said, diving into the room where the guard had been taking her. Jack nervously watched the hallway for any other company as she rushed in, turned the waste can upside down and grabbed the liner. Moving to a table, she pushed the items on it into the bag, and then, she joined him in the hallway. "Which way?"

Jack could hardly believe they still hadn't encountered any resistance. That little garage fire had turned out to be a one of the best distractions ever. And he'd take a break like this any time he could get it. As they reached the door where he had entered the house, he took a careful look around before grabbing Sam's hand and pulling her up the short flight of steps. Taking the flare from his pocket, he quickly ignited it and watched as it shot up into the air. Yeah, people would notice them now for sure…but it wouldn't matter. Turning, he threw his arms around her before they both vanished in a shimmering pool of light.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Jack was still holding on to Sam as they materialized on the bridge of the Prometheus. Colonel Ronson eyed them questioningly. "What?" Jack asked, letting go of Sam as he assessed the stares of the bridge crew. "Her locator beacon was disabled. I wanted to make sure you got a lock on both of us."

Ronson chuckled. "I didn't say a word, General." Turning to Sam, he smiled. "Good to see you again, Colonel Carter."

"Thank you, Colonel. Good to be here."

Ronson turned to one of his officers. "General O'Neill and I are going to have a word with Colonel Carter. You have the bridge." With a smile, he led Jack and Sam off the bridge to his ready room.

With the door shut behind them, Sam turned immediately to Jack. "How did you escape from Ba'al?"

"For cryin' out loud, Carter, _**what**_ are you talking about?"

"Yesterday…Ba'al took me to a room where he had you tied to a bed."

Jack stared at her before raking a hand across his face in frustration. "Carter, what kind of funny pills has that snake been feeding you? You're the one who has been spending quality time with him…not me. I've been trying to get you out of there."

Sam shook her head, and Jack could practically see the wheels turning in her magnificent brain as she processed the information. "But I _**saw**_ you…and if it wasn't you, what was it? A hologram?"

"Hey," Jack joked, "maybe it was a clone." He chuckled to himself before noticing that Sam appeared to be considering the idea seriously. "Carter, that was a joke."

"I'm not sure it should be, sir," she replied, shaking her head. "With Ba'al, anything is possible. We shouldn't discount the possibility. I was convinced it was you, knocked out cold and tied to that bed."

"Let's worry about that later," Colonel Ronson injected. "Colonel Carter, we're all relieved to see you alive and well. But I have to ask—what's in the trash bag?"

Sam had been concentrating so hard on the conundrum of the captive Jack that she had completely forgotten she was still clutching the plastic bag. "Oh, this," she said excitedly, laying the contents on Ronson's desk. "This is a project I was working on at Area 51…the one Ba'al kidnapped me to get me to complete for him."

"Is this the cloaking doohickey?" Jack asked.

"Yes, sir."

"That's what Daniel thought," he smiled. "At least you got away with it."

"Possibly," she replied.

"Huh?"

"He said he had more, but I hope that was a bluff."

Jack plopped down in a chair. "Well, this just keeps getting better and better."

"He can't use it, Sir, which, I guess, is why he took me in the first place. It has to be keyed to the user's DNA, and he was apparently unable to get it to accept his. Frankly, I don't think it will," she said, looking at the two men's questioning faces. "You know, goa'ulds can't always use ancient technology. Like the puddle jumpers," she continued. "You have to have the gene to use them. I think this device may be the same way."

"Hmmm," Ronson mused, "so Ba'al gave you an impossible task."

"He had probably acquired the device some time ago and had already given up on making it work himself. That's why I was trying so hard to stall. I knew I wouldn't fix it for him even if I could, but I certainly didn't want him to know I thought the task was impossible. That might have ended my 'visit' abruptly…and I don't mean in an escape or rescue."

They were interrupted by the beep of the intercom on Ronson's desk. "Colonel Ronson, a call for you from General Landry."

"I'll take it on the bridge," Ronson replied. Rising from his desk, he looked at the other two officers. "I'm sure you can continue this discussion while I let General Landry know you've arrived, safe and sound."

"No problem," Jack replied. "Take all the time you need."

Ronson left the room, closing the door behind him. When he heard it firmly shut, Jack got up and turned to Sam, holding his arms out to her. "C'mere," he said softly. She walked into his embrace, and he wrapped his arms around her. "I thought this wasn't supposed to happen anymore," he said, "and then you were gone."

"I'm ok."

Jack lifted her face to his and studied her carefully for any signs of trauma. Seeing none, he leaned in to kiss her, and she melted into his embrace. They clung to each other, neither wanting the other to know just how relieved they were to be able to share this moment.

Sam was the first to break the embrace. "Colonel Ronson could walk back in any time," she grinned.

"Can't have that, can we?" Jack chuckled, pulling back to shake his head and wink at her.

As if on cue, Ronson returned. "I can drop you off at the SGC, if you'd like."

"Sweet!" Jack replied. "Great little shuttle service ya got going here, Ronson. With a few more customers, you might make a dent in the national debt."

Ronson just shook his head and chuckled as he signaled the bridge. "Transport two to the SGC…now."

Jack waved as Ronson's image faded from his view.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

They rematerialized in the conference room, where they were immediately assaulted by Daniel and Teal'c. Amid the hugs and back slaps, the four former team members were lost momentarily in their own world.

Sam was the first to speak. "I half expected to see all three of you when Jack found me."

"We were otherwise occupied, Colonel Carter," Teal'c replied, bowing his head.

"Yeah," Daniel continued, "Jack didn't want Ba'al to suspect we knew he had taken you to the East Coast, so we very visibly headed up a search effort here, while General O'Neill was called back to Washington."

"Ahhhh….you created a diversion," she nodded.

"A very effective diversion," Jack smiled.

General Landry cleared his throat. "Well, now that the hellos have been said, why don't we sit down and discuss the last few days?" The four former teammates joined him at the conference table, and Sam recounted the last several days, as well as the nuances of Ba'al's operation she had been able to assess.

"So," she said as they wrapped up their discussions, "the only two concerns I still have are whether Ba'al has additional devices…and the General O'Neill I saw tied to that bed in Ba'al's basement."

"Well," Landry injected, "if he has additional devices, he hasn't figured out a way to use them."

"And I don't think he can, Sir," she replied. "We've always known there is ancient technology the Goa'uld can't operate, like the puddle jumpers, that are geared to genetics. I think this device is powered similarly."

"So, the only concern left is the guy tied to the bed," Daniel said.

Jack spoke up. "Carter, we know that wasn't me. It was probably just a projection or something."

"But it was wearing your clothes," she protested. "And I don't mean a uniform or BDUs. It was wearing a t-shirt I've seen you wear, jeans and a pair of sneakers that I recognized as yours."

"All of which Ba'al could have purchased anywhere, using the information he gathered from his surveillance of SG-1," Landry pointed out.

"Yes, Sir," Sam replied. "But what bothers me is, how did he project that figure lying down in those clothes?"

"He probably manipulated an image from his surveillance," Jack said. "I don't think this is anything to worry about, Carter."

"But what if he has a clone of you, Sir?"

The room was silent, as the five people there considered the possibility. Finally, Landry spoke up. "Do you really think that's the case, Colonel?"

She sighed. "We are talking about Ba'al, Sir."

Jack, sitting beside Sam, had been studying her carefully during this exchange. Swiveling his chair to face her fully, he leaned forward as the realization struck him. "For cryin' out loud, you want to go back in there, don't you?"

The others stared as Sam turned to face Jack. "I think we have to," she said quietly.

Jack ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. He turned to Landry. "Hank? It's your command."

"And I think we need to give our next step careful thought. Look, people, the last few days have been difficult for everyone. Let's go home, get a good night's sleep and meet here in the morning. If Ba'al _**does**_ have a clone of Jack, I'm betting it isn't going anywhere tonight. I'll see you all back here at 0900 hours. Jack, you're welcome to join us, if you wish."

"I'll be here, Hank."

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Sam stepped out of the shower, drying her body before taking the towel to her hair. Standing in front of the mirror in her own house, she felt more relaxed than she had in days. As she blew her hair dry, she cracked the door to let some of the heat out of the room, and the most delicious aroma reached her. Jack was cooking, and whatever it was, it was going to be good.

Completing her task, she put the hairdryer and brush away, removed her robe from the bathroom door and, pulling it on, padded barefoot into the hallway. She had turned toward the kitchen when she heard Jack's voice coming from the bedroom. "Sam?"

Smiling, she stopped and chuckled to herself as she turned toward the bedroom instead. As she joined him, she was greeted with a glass of wine from his outstretched hand. She took a sip as he watched her; the cool, fruity flavor of the wine dancing across her tongue and into her throat.

Jack stepped closer, putting an arm around her and pulling her close to him. "I thought you might like a backrub before dinner…you know…to relieve the tension."

She set her glass down on the bedside table, and returned to his arms. Winding both of her arms around his neck, she grinned. "I think I'm feeling pretty relaxed right now."

"Oh?" he cocked his head in mock surprise. "Well, we have about a half-hour before dinner is ready," he said softly, leaning in to nuzzle her neck, as his hands slid down her back to rest at her waist.

"Uh, huh," she whispered, leaning into his embrace. "Just enough time…."

Chuckling, he untied the robe and pushed it off her shoulders. It fell in a puddle on the floor. He gently caressed her shoulders, then ran his hands down her arms. His touch sent a pleasant chill through her, and she responded by reaching out to lift the hem of his t-shirt and pulling it off over his head, placing kisses on his chest as she went. When the shirt hit the floor, he gave a low growl and scooped her up, turning and laying her gently on the bed. Joining her there, he drew her into his arms and held her as close as he could.

They remained still for some time, each simply enjoying the sensation of being held by the other. Finally, he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "I thought I had lost you…"

Tears began to well up in her eyes. "I know," she said softly, lifting a hand to tenderly stroke his cheek. "But it's all right now."

Brown eyes stared deeply into blue, wordlessly conveying all they meant to each other. Then a smile crossed his face, and he gently lowered his lips to hers. And for some time afterwards, they were the only two people in the world.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Ba'al stared out the window over the lush grounds at the now burned garage, angry at having been deceived. What a simple trick they had pulled on him! And he hadn't thought to block transmissions of an Asgard transport beam. That was his fault. Now that he knew the humans had the technology, it wouldn't happen again.

He had suffered a setback today at the loss of Colonel Carter. But it was all right. He would still get his chance. They would be back. That knowledge made today's events a little easier to take.

Chuckling to himself, he turned as he heard his study door opening. His cook entered, carrying his dinner tray. She set it on his desk, and then stood back, awaiting further instructions. He waved her out of the room and sat down at his desk, unfolding the fine linen napkin and placing it in his lap. As he picked up his utensils, he thought to himself that his plan would still work. Actually, the joke was on them, and whether they knew it or not, they would return to his estate very, very soon.

_**Author's Note:**__ I thought about ending the story after Jack recovered Sam…but what would be the fun in that? I want to play with them a little longer. Hope you agree!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

_**Author's Note:**__ Bad fic writer! When I decided to continue this story, rather than drawing it to a close in Chapter 7, I had no idea I wouldn't be able to work on it again for weeks! I extend apologies to all the readers who have followed this tale so faithfully. Recently, my professional life has been tremendously demanding, but things are easing up now, and I finally have time to get back to this story. I think I have three or four chapters to go, and I will do my best to DVDs, laptop, etc. _

Jack awoke feeling more rested than he had in days. Rolling over, he reached out for Sam…but found himself alone. Instantly concerned and alert, he sat up, retrieved his boxers from the bedside table and pulled them on. It was then that he caught a whiff of coffee and relaxed a bit.

Pulling a fresh t-shirt over his head, he made his way down the hall. As he entered the kitchen, he caught sight of her, and felt a comforting warmth wash over him. Sam, wearing the t-shirt he had worn yesterday _(So that's where it went!)_ stood in front of the stove, scrambling eggs. Try as he might, he couldn't resist pausing to admire the long legs that extended from beneath the dark t-shirt. She turned to return a block of cheese to the refrigerator and spotted him, a smile immediately lighting up her face. "Morning, sleepyhead."

Her voice caught his attention, and his eyes moved from her legs to her face. But he could tell from her expression that she knew he had been staring. "I wanted to fix _your_ breakfast," he scolded gently, as he stepped closer, putting an arm across her shoulders and kissing her forehead. "After the last several days, you deserve…" His voice trailed off and he shrugged his shoulders, as if waiting for her to finish his sentence.

Sam was struck with the sudden realization that Jack still wondered whether Ba'al had tortured her as he had once been tortured himself. She knew she had to put his fears to rest. They hadn't spent much time talking the night before, and she mentally scolded herself for not making the point clear. "Look, the worst thing that happened to me was being forced to talk with Ba'al twice a day when he came by to check on my work," she smiled. "Otherwise, it was like being detained in a five-star hotel."

She knew he needed to be convinced, and she hoped her light treatment of the subject would do the trick. Determined to let the remark speak for itself, she immediately turned back to the task at hand. Grabbing a wooden pasta spoon from a nearby drawer, she scooped the eggs from the pan and divided them between two plates that were already sitting on the counter. "Besides, you fixed dinner," she continued, "so I thought breakfast was my job. But you can pour me a cup of coffee."

Their eyes met briefly, and she could tell he was reading her, assessing whether what she had told him was the truth. She saw the moment when his eyes relaxed. She knew then that he believed her, and was at ease. "Deal," he said, turning to open the cabinet door. He poured two mugs of coffee, adding a teaspoon of sugar and a little milk to Sam's cup. He set both mugs on the counter and sat down at the breakfast bar, as she put two plates of steaming hot eggs scrambled with ham in front of him.

"Oh! Wait!" she exclaimed, and pulled two frosty glasses of orange juice from the fridge. Setting one next to each plate, she turned and plucked two English muffins from the toaster. Swiftly splitting them, she spread a little butter on each, put them on small bread plates and brought them with her as she walked around the counter to sit next to him.

"This is good," Jack said enthusiastically.

"Thanks."

Shoulders brushing, they sat companionably, consuming the food in relative silence. Sam thought to herself how nice this was…how normal it seemed…and how good it was to be able to be with him like this.

As he was swallowing the last bite of English muffin, Jack looked up at the clock. It was 7:30. "Landry is expecting us at 9," he said, breaking the silence. "How much time do you need to get ready?"

"Just a few minutes," she replied, getting up. "I'll just rinse the dishes and put them in the dishwasher; then…"

"You go ahead and get ready," he interrupted. "I'll straighten up." His look told her there was no use in arguing with him, so she nodded, grinned and went to the bedroom to get dressed.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Sam was surprised to see Jack sitting on the sofa when she emerged from the bedroom. How he had gotten ready so soon, she didn't know, but now, he looked deep in thought. "Jack?" she asked.

"Oh, hey," he replied, somewhat nervously. He had a strange look on his face, and Sam was instantly curious as to what had prompted his apparent mood change. Jack checked his watch before motioning for her to sit down. "We have a few minutes before we have to hit the road, and I…I need to discuss something with you," he muttered, looking away.

"What's wrong?" Now seated beside him, she laid a hand gently on his arm. Something was up.

"Nothin'," he chuckled, before drawing a deep breath. "Look, forget it. This was a bad idea. Bad timing…never mind."

"Jack, I don't understand. I'm fine, really…_believe me._ If something else is wrong, you can tell me."

He noticed the concerned look in her eyes. "Oh, for cryin' out loud…" Clearly frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair, silently admonishing himself for screwing this up.

She shook her head, not understanding what was wrong with him. "Jack…what…"

Realizing he had totally confused her, he decided to forge ahead despite the awkwardness, and reached into his pocket. "Look, Carter, this isn't the way I had planned on doing this, but…"

He pulled out a small, aqua blue box, and opened it to reveal an oval cut diamond ring, set in gold, the center stone flanked by clusters of smaller blue sapphires.

Sam stared at the display before her. The sight of the box had set her heart racing, but despite appearances, she wasn't certain what was happening. She looked up questioningly, opening her mouth slightly to form words she couldn't quite seem to vocalize.

"Well?" he asked, expectantly.

"Well, what, Jack?" she whispered. It had been a struggle, but she managed to get the words out.

His voice was soft and low as he replied. "Marry me, Sam."

She took a deep breath as she tentatively reached out to touch the ring in front of her.

"If you need some time to think, I understand."

"Yes."

"What?"

She looked up to meet his gaze. "I said…yes." She smiled.

His head dropped. "Yes, you need some time to think?"

She smiled. "No. Just…yes."

His head popped up. "Yes?"

She grinned. "Yes, Jack, I'll marry you."

"You're sure?"

The sense of shock was beginning to ease, and she fought to squelch a giggle at his surprise. "Not the answer you expected?" she asked.

"I…I thought you might want to think about it first," he shrugged.

"Because I had to think about it when…?"

"Yep."

She spoke softly, raising a hand to caress his cheek and forcing him to look at her. "The reason I had to think about it then was that it wasn't _**you **_asking. Since it _**is**_ you, there's no doubt in my mind."

"Yeah?" he grinned.

"Yeah."

He removed the ring from the box and, taking her left hand in both of his, placed it on her finger. They were silent for a moment before she leaned forward and took his face in her hands. She kissed him gently, and he responded by wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer for a more enthusiastic embrace.

When they finally pulled themselves apart, she looked up at him with glistening eyes. "And you picked 45 minutes before we have to be at the mountain to ask me this because…"

"Because that ring has been burning a hole in my pocket for weeks…and…"

"And you couldn't wait another minute," she finished for him, her hand affectionately smoothing his unruly hair. "Weeks, huh? Well, now you know. Pleased?"

"You have no idea."

She smiled and dabbed gently at her eyes. "Thank you, Jack."

He was looking at her with one of those smiles that extended all the way to his deep, brown eyes. "Huh! I should be thanking you. I'm the one getting the better end of this deal."

She pulled him to her again for a hug. "I love you, Jack," she whispered. He shuddered as the breath from her words floated across his neck.

He pulled her closer. "Me too, Sam. Me too."

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&J*S&J**

"Well, people, I've given this some thought overnight, and I hope you have too. We retrieved Colonel Carter and the device from Ba'al's estate, but I got the distinct impression the Colonel thinks we have some unfinished business there." Hank Landry took his seat at the conference table as he summarized the point where discussions had stopped the day before. Looking around at the former members of SG-1, he asked, "Who wants to start?"

Daniel was the first to speak up. "Sam, you weren't drugged while you were there, were you? I mean…there's no chance you could have dreamed or hallucinated the man tied to the bed?"

"I was drugged when they took me from Area 51," Sam replied, "but once Ba'al had me at his estate, he needed me to be in my right mind. I wasn't drugged after I arrived, I wasn't abused and I was well-fed. Except for being kept there against my will, it was all very…ordinary."

"If Ba'al possesses technology that projects a realistic representation of O'Neill, is it not probable it could project images of others as well? It could be a dangerous device indeed," Teal'c commented. "It would seem important to find out more about such a device."

"I was convinced he was holding the General prisoner," Sam said, "and I was completely lucid. I _**have**_ to know how he did that…and I _**have**_ to be sure that whatever I saw wasn't…" She paused uncomfortably, "…wasn't organic."

"Carter, he doesn't have a clone of me!" Jack brought his open hand down on the tabletop for emphasis.

She turned to look at him, meeting his stormy gaze head-on. "How do you know? He's the most advanced of all the Goa'uld, and if you'll remember, Loki was able to clone you, so it's not outside the realm of possibility."

Despite the serious nature of the discussion, Landry had to stifle a chuckle at the exchange. "So," he asked, looking down to a grin, "does anyone have an idea of how we should proceed? A plan, people?"

"I guess we should assume that going back in via Asgard transport beam is out of the question," Daniel mused.

"I would be willing to bet that he's blocked it by now," Sam said. "But we could try it and see."

"And when we get back in?" Jack asked, the irritation still evident in his voice.

"We find the room where I saw you…it," Sam frowned, "we determine exactly what it is, and…" she paused slightly.

"Then what, Carter?" Jack asked. "_**What? **_We punt?"

"You don't like this idea, Sir."

"I'm just not convinced it's necessary. I think whatever you saw was a projection."

"We can't take that chance," she said softly. "We _**have**_ to know."

"I tend to agree, Jack," Hank said. "I'll send SG-6 in, and we'll figure it out."

"Sir, no," Sam replied, turning to the other general in the room. "The operation would have a better chance of success if someone familiar with the property went on the mission. That would have to be me."

"Or me…" Jack chided in.

"You don't know where that room is."

"You can tell me where it is in relation to that elevator, and I can find it."

"We have gotten the plans of the house from the original architect," Landry added.

"We'll go with him, Sam," Daniel said. "It's you Ba'al wanted, so let's keep you out of his reach."

"Yeah, he's probably not too happy that you snatched his doohickey," Jack added.

"I need to be part of this mission," she said calmly, looking around the room at the familiar faces. Landry nodded, but didn't speak, and the others continued talking about possible ways to get back onto the property undetected.

Sam pushed back from the table and stood up. At the moment, she had too much pent-up energy to sit still. She was somewhat frustrated too. She knew their intentions were good, and they just didn't want her back within Ba'al's reach, but she wasn't going to back down. She walked over to the window that overlooked the gate room. As the others talked, she was mentally running through scenarios that might work. Suddenly, she had an idea. She turned to rejoin the discussion, but at that moment, she was overcome by a massive wave of dizziness. Leaning back against the window, she held on to the casings for support, only vaguely aware of the others rising to come to her aid.

She heard Jack call her name, and saw him leaning over her just before everything went black.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Dr. Brightman took a deep breath before addressing the group of anxious people standing in the infirmary. "Colonel Carter is stable, and we're running some tests. That's really all I can say for sure now."

"Doctor, isn't there something else you can tell us?" Daniel asked. "She's had a rough few days, but Sam is pretty tough. I mean, she's had a good night's sleep," he mused, as if thinking out loud, "so I wouldn't think she would faint from exhaustion. Well, I can't imagine Sam fainting at all, to tell the truth, although…"

"Daniel!" Jack snapped. "We're not going to learn anything with you rambling on like that." Jack turned to the doctor, softening the tone of his voice. "Dr. Brightman, you have an idea on what caused this, don't you?"

Brightman paused as if considering whether to share her theories. Looking into her former CO's intense stare, she decided it was only right to tell them all what she already knew for sure. "General O'Neill, it seems Colonel Carter has ingested some sort of poison…"

"Poison?" Jack hissed, as the others sighed in shock and waited for the doctor to continue. "That sonofabitch!"

"General O'Neill…this is exactly why I didn't want to say anything this soon. It could be something she encountered in the labs…or even a household chemical…"

"No, it isn't," Jack replied firmly, as he banged his fist against a nearby wall. "That damn snake has poisoned her."

Hank Landry spoke up. "Doctor, how bad is it?"

The doctor shrugged. "That's just what we're trying to determine, sir. Right now, we've started her on activated charcoal, and once we get the labs back and can identify the toxin, there may be a pharmaceutical remedy. We're keeping her sedated to prevent any movement that might unnecessarily spread the toxin through her body, and we're monitoring her vitals closely."

"It's Ba'al," Jack said quietly. "When those tests come back, there won't be anything on Earth that can treat it. It's his insurance policy…his way to get her back."

"Jack, maybe not," Daniel replied. "This could be something natural."

"It is highly unlikely," Teal'c added. "I fear O'Neill's suspicions are correct."

Both men had turned their attention to Jack, who was leaned against the wall he had assaulted, his expression cold and hard.

"When will the results be back, doctor?" Landry asked.

"Within the hour," she said. "I'll let you know as soon as I have anything." She took a step toward the lab; then paused and turned. "Oh, Colonel Carter had a…personal item on her. I thought one of you might like to keep it for her…for now."

"Sure, doc," Daniel began, before Jack cut him off.

"Give it to me," Jack said, stepping forward. Brightman met his gaze as she pulled a small envelope from her pocket and placed it in his outstretched hand. "I'm sorry I don't have better news for you, General."

"Doc, I know you're doing everything you can." Jack gave her a weak smile to let her know his rage wasn't directed at her. Silently though, he wished for Janet. He knew Brightman was a fine doctor. Otherwise, she would never have been assigned to the SGC. But Janet was Sam's friend…and the most resourceful physician he had ever known. Jack had to admit he worried less about everyone when Janet was the CMO, and as he watched Brightman retreat, he wished Janet was with them now.

Landry stopped Brightman to speak with her. Teal'c and Daniel were watching Jack. Daniel looked at the small envelope as Jack slipped it into his shirt pocket. "What is that? Pocket change?"

"No."

"No, you're right. It's a little bumpy for pocket change. But Sam doesn't wear jewelry. How do you know what's in there, Jack? You haven't even opened the envelope."

Jack glared at his friend. "Daniel…does it matter?"

"Well, it could. If it's something Sam was working on, maybe it could be related to why she's sick."

Jack sighed. "It's not."

"But how do you know?"

"It's a ring, Daniel…all right?"

"A ring? I've never seen Sam wear jewelry on duty. Maybe it's an artifact, and Brightman hasn't considered…"

"It's not an artifact."

"But how can you be sure?"

Jack leaned toward the archeologist until he was only inches from Daniel's face, and in a low growl, said, "Because I gave it to her this morning."

"_You_ gave it to her? Why?" As Jack continued to glare at him, Daniel realized why Jack might give Sam a ring. Lowering his voice to a whisper, he said, "Oh! I see. Oh, Jack. Is it…like an engagement ring?"

"No, Daniel, it's not _**"like"**_ an engagement ring. It _**is**_ an engagement ring."

Daniel's face lit up. "Jack…that's great, but…" and his face fell, again remembering the seriousness of the situation. "Uh…damn, Jack…I…I don't know what to say…"

"Then just shut up, will ya?" Jack sighed, as he turned and started to walk back toward the gate room and Landry's office.

"Where are you going, O'Neill?" Teal'c was concerned for his friend.

"Back to the conference room. Teal'c, come on. Daniel…get Hank. We need a plan. I'm going snake hunting."

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Brightman's next report contained no good news for the group around the SGC conference table. As Jack had predicted, the tests had found no known poison was causing Sam's illness. However, they did reveal nanites throughout Sam's bloodstream, which Brightman suspected were programmed to release the poison. The doctor told them Sam's condition was no worse, but there was no way to predict what the nanites would do next. After discovering the tiny machines, Brightman had consulted several SGC scientists, who were examining samples captured during Sam's blood test. Their preliminary conclusion was that the doctor was correct in her assumption that the nanites had been programmed and could probably be ordered to release more of the toxin at regular intervals.

An emergency call went out to the Asgard, but so far, there was no response. With no firm answers or treatment available, the men in the conference room were huddled around the table, glum looks on all their faces.

"I might as well see what he wants," Jack finally said, as he sat slowly peeling the label off a bottle of water. "It's all going to lead back to Ba'al."

"Look, I'm a neutral party," Daniel argued. "I'll fly to Virginia, and I'll see what he wants."

"Jack..I really think that's probably the best idea," Hank agreed. "Until we find out what Ba'al's demands are…_**if **_this is Ba'al's doing…"

Jack gave him a withering glance.

"…and I agree it probably is, we can do nothing. And considering your history with Ba'al, I think Dr. Jackson is a better choice to act as a go-between."

"Whatever," Jack replied, stuffing the label pieces in the bottle, tossing it into a nearby trash can and running his suddenly unoccupied hands through his hair.

"But Prometheus is still in orbit," Landry continued, "so I think we can dramatically cut your travel time to Virginia and back, Dr. Jackson."

"I'm ready to go," Daniel said, rising from the table.

"Very well." Tapping his intercom, Landry said, "Sgt. Harriman…arrange for Dr. Jackson to beam aboard Prometheus…and call the Pentagon. Coordinate a drop-off point for him in Virginia, and make sure someone is there to meet him."

"Davis," Jack said.

"What, Jack?"

"Major Paul Davis, Hank. He was working with me in Virginia. He's up to speed. Hammond will know how to get him rerouted."

"Fine…Walter…ask for a Major Paul Davis."

"Yes, sir."

Landry looked at Jack and Teal'c. "We've done all we can do for right now, gentlemen. Let's take a break."

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&J*S&J**

Jack sat at Sam's bedside, watching her steady, even breathing. He had been sitting there for hours, as if his presence would keep her safe somehow. She shifted slightly, and he felt his spirits lift just a bit. She didn't look sick. If it weren't for the wires and tubes connected to her, one would think she was simply sleeping. He resisted the impulse to try and gently nudge her awake, knowing it would do no good. He sighed. At least the steady beep of the monitor reassured him that the situation was under control for now.

How many times had he sat in this infirmary over the years, just waiting for her to wake up again? Wondering _**if **_she would wake up? He thought about the time the alien entity took over her body and he was forced to zat her.

Twice.

As in dead.

An involuntary chill ran through him at the memory. It had taken every bit of resolve he had to do what he had to do that day. He remembered seeing her crumple to the floor after he fired the second shot. Heart pounding, his knees weak, he knew he had killed her. They all thought she was gone; yet he sat vigil at her bedside, nursing his guilt and refusing to let Janet pull the plug. Then, they got a miracle. Daniel figured out that a message in the computer was sent by Sam and somehow, Janet was able to transfer Sam's consciousness back into her body. Jack didn't understand how she did it. He was just grateful she did.

Then there was the time when she and the Prometheus vanished for several days. No trace of her. No trace of the ship or the rest of its crew. He had steeled himself for the loss that time too, but when she came back to them, she just had a bad concussion and a few minor scrapes and bruises. He remembered the sense of relief he felt when she arrived back at the SGC. He had sat with her then too, waiting for those bright blue eyes to flutter open; waiting for that infectious smile to spread across her face. And when she woke up and called out his first name? He knew she was out of it, so he didn't make a big deal about it. But hearing her call him Jack was…nice. He had brushed it off; blamed the slip on her concussion. But secretly, he had wanted to hear her say it again.

He sat with her after their last encounter with Nirrti too. Granted, that hospitalization had only been precautionary. When they got back from P3X-whatever it was, Janet had insisted on keeping Sam overnight for observation, and Jack stayed because he just needed to be sure for himself that she was ok. That had been her closest call ever. She was near death when one of the guys Nirrti had experimented on read the snake's mind and decided to help SG-1. Jack had watched that alien kid and the Russian, Evanov, dissolve into puddles of liquid after Nirrti scrambled their genes, and Sam was showing the symptoms they had shown just before they died. Jack remembered grabbing her from that cot in the cell and running to the machine with her in his arms, desperate to get her there in time. His knees were aching and his lungs were burning by the time he carried her up the stone stairs from the dungeon to the main level. But he didn't slow down—because he couldn't. He had known she was just a precious few minutes from death, and he was determined to save her.

Each time so far, the Almighty had seen fit to answer his tortured prayers and spare her life. Each time, though, Jack realized it had gotten harder…harder not to touch her, not to hold her, harder not to let his face show what his heart felt. Each time, it got harder not to let others see beyond the concerned CO keeping vigil for his subordinate. Of course, he hadn't fooled everyone. Daniel, Teal'c, Janet…they all saw through the officer and recognized him as a man who loved a woman. Jack figured Hammond suspected. But, except for Daniel and Teal'c, they had all kept their suspicions to themselves.

Ironically, Jack had always thought to himself that the worry he felt would be easier to bear if things were right between them. If he could just tell her he still loved her, had never stopped loving her, _**would never**_ _**stop**_ _**loving her,**_ then surely the inevitable loss that each threat brought would be easier. Jack wasn't a man of many words, but he couldn't stand the thought of losing her without ever being able to tell and show her the things he felt for her in his heart. And for all those years, he thought that the sweetness of actually being able to claim her as his own, to be with her as he wanted to be, would make whatever loss might follow more bearable. Because at least the one who was left alone would know he or she had been loved completely and totally.

Now, though, he knew how wrong he had been. Now that things _**were**_ right between them, the thought of losing her terrified him even more. Jack reached out and took her hand in his, gently rubbing his thumb over her soft skin, the warmth he felt so familiar and reassuring. _Wake up, Sam! Wake up!_

He sat there for hours, just watching her breathe, trying to reassure himself that with all the miracles in their past, there was a chance that she would recover. Finally, still holding her hand in his, Jack closed his eyes against the unbidden tears that were threatening to betray him to anyone who might pass by. Leaning his head against the high-backed chair and, with the steady beep of the monitor as company, he wearily slipped off to sleep.

**S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J* S&J*S&J*S&J*S&J*S&J**

"Jack," he vaguely heard a voice saying softly. "Jack, wake up." Jack came to alertness with a start. His attention immediately shifted to Sam. Was she all right? He realized the monitor was still beeping steadily. Who had spoken to him?

"Jack." Jack turned toward the voice. He saw it was Daniel, leaning over him. Jack glanced again at Sam to make sure she was still stable; then turned to Daniel.

"What? Did you talk to that sorry sonofa…?"

"I've talked to Ba'al."

Jack rubbed a hand down his face. "What does he want?"

"Well…he definitely wants his device back, and he says if we bring Sam back to him, he'll take the nanites out of her blood."

"He's lying."

"Probably…but as far as we know, he's the only one who knows how to extract the nanites."

"Thor?"

"Not a word, Jack."

"I won't take her back to him. He can't be trusted."

"Jack..right now, we have no other option. He needs her to put the device back together, and that will buy us some time to find a better solution." Daniel stared at Jack pointedly, waiting for his friend to process the information.

"I need to think about this."

"Well, think fast. During our 'visit,' Ba'al told he would increase the amount of toxin in Sam's system if we didn't reply by noon today." Daniel could see the rage rising on Jack's face.

"What time is it now?"

"It's about 4 in the morning."

"Landry?"

"He'll be in by 8."

Jack reached out to lay a hand on Daniel's arm. "Thanks, Danny. You should sack out for awhile."

Daniel pointed to a nearby chair. "I've already picked my spot. You should get a little more sleep too. I asked the duty nurse to wake us at 7:30."

Jack nodded. Daniel settled into the chair on the other side of Sam's bed, propped his feet on the bed's base and leaned his head back. Within minutes, his even breathing told Jack he was asleep.

Jack stayed awake…his mind contemplating different scenarios for manipulating an old enemy who currently seemed to be holding all the cards.

_**Author's Note:**__ Please review. Real life can be hard, and reviews raise the spirits of those who write stories in their spare time. Your opinions are important._


End file.
